Improvement in attachments to soap-cutting machines



Attachment to Soap-Cutting Machines C. BALSTON.

Patehted Sept. 21,1875.

v N0.l67,936.

III/WW4,

NPErERS, FHOTO-UTHDGRAFHEH. WASHINGTON, D C.

NrrED STATES PATENT Orrron.

JoHNo. RALSTON, or INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN ATTACHMENTS TO SOAP-CUTTING MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 167.936, datedSeptember 21, 1875; application filed June 10, 187.5.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN OLEMENrs RALs- TON, of Indianapolis, in thecounty of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Soap-Outting Machines and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, referencebeing had to the accompan'ying drawing and to the letters of referencemarked thereon.

My invention relates to that class of soapcutting machines which cut afull slab into bars at one operation and the nature of my inventionconsists in the construction and arran gement of an attachment for suchmachines for racking and spreading the bars,as Will be hereinafter morefully set forth.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my inventionappertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe itsconstruction and operation, referring to the annexed drawing, whichformsa part of this specification, and in which- Figure l is a sideelevation, and Fig. 2 an end view, of my attachment for soap-cuttingmachines. Figs. 3, 4., 5, 6, and 7 are detached views of parts thereof.

H represents a strong wooden frame of any suitable dimensions, the uppersurface of which is level with the cutting-frame A of the soapcuttingmachine. Within the frame H is placed a movable frame, B, a longitudinalvertical section of which is shown in Fig. 7. This movable framereceives an upward movement by the operator pressing with his foot onthe' outer end of a lever-treadle, O, pivoted at D to the main frame,and its inner end connected to the movable frame. The front of the mainframe H has a movable panel, E, for convenience in changing thespreaders hereinafter described. F G of the main frame arelon gitudinalgrooves y to receive'a series of blocks, I J, which rest therein, saidblocks corresponding in number with the bars of soap contained in theslab which is being cut.

The blocks mentioned are made of two sizes, I and J, placed alternatelyin the grooved bars F G. The blocks I are made shallow, as shown in Fig.3, and have end projections, d, fitting under the upper shoulders of theIn the inner sides of the side bars grooves y to prevent said blocksfrom rising. The center of the blocks I on the under side is cut out toallow the center bar of the movable frame B to enter therein whenraised.

The blocks J, shown in Figs. 4. and 5, are made deeper, without endprojections, and have lips b on their under sides fittingaround andunder the center bar ofthe movable frame B. The object of thisarrangementis that, as the bars of soap usually adhere after beingpassed through the cutting wires, and .more especially if very fine wirehas been used, by pressing with the foot on the trcadle O the movableframe B israised and carries the deep block J upward with it, thusraising up every alternate bar of soap, and effecting a completeseparation of the adhering bars. After the soap has been thus dulyseparated, by removing the foot from the treadle the blocks descend bytheir own gravity, or by being pulled down by the action of the movableframe on the lips I). In the blocks I J are sunk grooves or recesses ato receive the rack upon which the soap is placed or driven by thecutting-machine. In the ends of each block is a vertical groove, 0, toreceive the tenon w of the spreader S, shown inFig. 6. One of thesespreaders is inserted in each end of each block, and they arepermanently connected by means of a band or strong tape fastened to theback of each and in the groove care being taken to allow as much spacebetween the spreaders when fastening them to the tape as it is requiredthat the bars of soap shall be separated when spread upon the rack. Theblocks I J are placed closely together and the rack inserted in thegrooves a a. The soap is then driven upon the blocks through thecutting-wires, and rests above the rack. The operator presses on thetreadle O, which separates the bars, and a pull at the tape whichconnects the spreaders separates the blocks, and with them the soap theentire length of the machine, thus spreading the soap effectively, andwith a single motion, af ter which it is removed in the usual manner.Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. The combination of a seriesof alternately stationary and movable blocks for separating slidingframe B and grooved bars FG, for the purposes herein set forth.

5. The combination of the series of blocks I J, arranged as described,and a series of Spreaders, S, connected together and fitting in thegrooved bars F G and end grooves of the block. substantially as and forthe purposes herein set forth.

JOHN 0-. RALSTON.

Witnesses:

ROBT. CoNER, WM. 0LDs.

